Russian invasion of Ukraine: tanks and rocket attacks on the cities. Breaking news

The Russian Ministry of Defence wants to remove films with Zelenskyy and Rodnyanskyy "from the cultural agenda" of Russia, Mediazona reports.

This became known from a photo of an official letter from the head of the Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation Sergei Shoigu to the Minister of Culture Olga Lyubimova. The media obtained the photo of this letter from a source close to the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation.

"The popularization of these individuals in the current circumstances does not contribute to the implementation of the decisions taken by the leadership of the country and the Ministry of Defence," Shoigu wrote.

The Prague 6 district mayor's office wants to give some of the empty buildings in the Russian embassy complex to Ukrainian refugees, Ceska Televize has reported.

It is about the premises of the school, which has not had classes since the Czech Republic expelled 18 Russian diplomats because of the explosions at a munitions depot in Vrbetice. The ambassadors were accused of working for the intelligence services.

Kyiv, air raid alert stopped.

In the Kyiv region the workers of the State Emergency Service are meeting a convoy of vehicles with evacuated citizens. 28 buses and 70 cars took more than 1,000 citizens and 330 children to a safe place. All are provided with necessary and qualified assistance. 

Zelenskyy addressed mothers in the Russian Federation: "Many of you are sent a funeral letter even though your sons are in captivity". President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said this in an address.

"Every mother who knows that her son has been sent to war against Ukraine should check where her son is. And especially those who cannot contact their children, who have been told that their children have died. And haven't had their bodies returned. There are numbers on the Internet where you can call and find out what is really going on with your children," Zelenskyy said.

And he noted that Ukrainians don't need this war and they didn't want it. Instead, all they want in Ukraine is peace and for Russian mothers to love their children more than they fear their government.

The Netherlands has frozen more than 200 million euros worth of Russian assets because of sanctions, Reuters reported, citing Dutch central bank governor Klaas Knott.
"We have frozen more than 200 million euros and this amount will grow," the bank president said on the Nieuwsuur programme. And noted that the Dutch bank should make sure that banks apply sanctions and freeze Russian money.

De @DNB_NL moet toezien of banken wel de sancties uitvoeren en Russisch geld bevriezen. “We hebben meer dan 200 miljoen euro bevroren, en het loopt op”, zegt bankpresident @KlaasKnot. België bevroor al miljarden, maar daar is volgens Knot ook veel meer Russisch geld. #Nieuwsuur pic.twitter.com/862B11xOFG

— Nieuwsuur (@Nieuwsuur) March 17, 2022

Zhytomyr, Vinnytsia, Bila Tserkva - air raid alert! Head for the  shelter!

Kyiv - air-raid alert!

Apple will not sell the new iPhone SE and other devices from the spring presentation in Russia, according to an official statement from the corporation.
At the same time, the AppStore continues to function and iOS updates are coming to Russian users' devices.
Worldwide sales of the new devices began on 18 March.

Constant counterattacks by the Ukrainian Armed Forces are severely hitting Russia's offensive potential.This data was published by the British intelligence service on Twitter by the British Ministry of Defence.

The British intelligence also added that Russia's uncertain invasion was accomplished with logistical problems.

Lack of air control and limited bridge capabilities prevent Russia from effectively resupplying its forward troops with even basic necessities such as food and fuel, the agency said.

Humanitarian corridors may be opened in Sumy Region on 18 March, the head of the Sumy Region state administration, Dmytro Zhyvytskyy, has written.

Evacuation routes are as follows:

Trostyanets - Poltava region
(Trostyanets, Sumy, Golubivka, Olshana, Nedrigailov, Korovyntsy, Romny, Andriyashivka, Lokhvitsa, Lubny).

Sumy - Poltava region
(Sumy, Golubivka, Olshana, Nedrigailov, Korovyntsy, Romny, Andriyashivka, Lokhvitsa, Lubny).

Lebedyn - Poltava region
(Lebedin, Shtepivka, Nedrigailov, Korovintsy, Romny, Andriyashivka, Lokhvitsa, Lubny).

Konotop Poltava region
(Konotop, Shevchenkovo, Khmelevo, Romny, Andriashivka, Lokhvitsa, Lubny).

Velyka Pysarivka Poltava
(Velyka Pysarivka, Akhtyrka, Khukhra, Kotelva, Poltava).

Krasnopillya - Poltava region
(Krasnopillya, Verkhnya Syvoritka, Sumy, Golubivka, Olshana, Nedrigailov, Korovuntsy, Romny, Andriashevka, Lokhvitsa, Lubny, Poltava).

Fuel prices will go down on 18 March, the Ukrainian Economy Ministry has said.

• diesel fuel went down by UAH 5 (from UAH 44.90 to UAH 39.96 per litre)
• petrol by more than UAH 7 (from UAH 43.52 to UAH 35.76 per litre).
  
  This was possible due to the decision of the Verkhovna Rada to cancel the excise tax on fuel and reduce the VAT rate from 20% to 7%.
  
  The Economy Ministry says this will help achieve a balance and accumulate enough resources to carry out the sowing campaign and transport critical goods supplies, including food.
  
  "Affordable fuel will boost a number of economic processes that will bring Ukraine closer to victory," the ministry said in a statement.

Italy is ready to rebuild the Mariupol theatre destroyed by Russian air bombs.

"Theatres of all countries belong to all humanity," Italian Culture Minister Dario Franceschini said.
The theatre, where thousands of Mariupol residents were hiding, was destroyed by Russia on 16 March.

Italy is ready to rebuild the Theatre of #Mariupol. The cabinet of Ministers has approved my proposal to offer #Ukraine the resources and means to rebuild it as soon as possible. Theaters of all countries belong to the whole humanity #worldheritage pic.twitter.com/FPictnEloy

— Dario Franceschini (@dariofrance) March 17, 2022

The Ukrainian Air Force Command reports that Ukrainian anti-air defences destroyed 14 Russian airborne targets on 17 March:

• 7 warplanes
• 1 helicopter
• 3 drones
• 3 cruise missiles

0% loans and deregulation. Zelenskyy told what businesses need to know in times of war.

According to him, the government has prepared an expansion of the lending programme for entrepreneurs on the basis of the 5-7-9% programme.

"Any business will be able to get a loan at 0%. For the time of war plus one month after the war. A minimum rate of 5 per cent follows. The total amount of the loan could be up to 60 million hryvnias. So that there is a wider range of businesses that will be able to take advantage of our programme," the president said.
Zelenskyy also said that tomorrow the Cabinet of Ministers will vote for a large-scale reduction of regulations. Out of 600 permits and licences, about 20 will remain mandatory.

The situation on the ground as of midnight on 17.03.2022: an update on the Russian invasion.

It is currently the 22nd day of the heroic struggle of the Ukrainian people against the Russian military invasion.

The Russian occupational forces continue their offensive operation against Ukraine. Their strategic objectives of defeating the troops of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, reaching the administrative borders of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, and assuming control over the left-bank part of Ukraine are still unfulfilled.

The military command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine continues offsetting the personnel losses with foreigners. According to the available information, the Russian occupiers have involved about 1,000 volunteers from among the so-called army of Bashar al-Assad and Hezbollah. The primary requirement for foreign militants has been the urban warfare experience. Meanwhile, according to the available information, the above-mentioned militants aim not to participate in the hostilities on the Ukrainian territory but to use the assignment to make their way to Europe.

In the direction of Volyn, the enemy attempted no offensive actions. However, it continued to reinforce the Ukrainian-Belarusian border defences with the units of the Armed Forces of Belarus. The probability of the Russian Federation intelligence setting up provocations is still high.

In the direction of Polissia, the enemy attempted no offensive actions either, focusing on holding the previously assumed positions and preparing for a potential advance toward Kyiv. Meanwhile, the losses the invaders have suffered at the hands of Ukrainian defenders, the low morale of the rank-and-file troops and sergeants, as well as lack of experienced tactical unit commanders are rendering any follow-up offensive impossible in the near future.

In the direction of Novhorod-Siverskyi, the enemy is trying to hold on to some positions, restore its units’ combat potential, and restock. The occupiers continue the partial blockade of Chernihiv, shelling the city.

In the direction of Brovary, the enemy attempted no offensive actions. 
In the area of Brovary, the occupiers are periodically shelling the positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

In the Slobozhanshchyna direction, the invaders are preparing to resume their offensive on Sumy and Kharkiv and trying to restock on ammunition, fuel, and lubricants. Also, they have been forced to use the accumulated personnel reserves prematurely. In the direction of Izyum, the enemy is also trying to resume the offensive.

In the direction of Luhansk and Donetsk, the enemy focused on preparing to advance toward Severodonetsk and surrounding Mariupol.

In the direction of Southern Buh, the invaders attempted no action. Instead, they transitioned to defending and entrenching in the previous positions. Also, they tried to regroup and restock.

The occupiers kept attempting to identify and destroy the anti-air defences along the Black Sea coast.
In the Black Sea offshore area, the enemy attempted only demonstration manoeuvres.

We believe in the Armed Forces of Ukraine! Together we are strong!
Glory to Ukraine!

Founder of the Azov Regiment Andrii Biletskyi addresses the world:

“Mariupol needs not motivating pictures on social media but real help!

The siege on Mariupol needs to be lifted!” AZOV—Mariupol Forwarded from Andrii Biletskyi I address Mariupol residents, defenders of the city, and the entire world! For 8 years, the city was the epitome of the radiant Ukrainian Donbas as opposed to the Russian Mordor. Today, Mariupol holds the line beyond human capacity.

The city needs not motivating pictures on social media but real help. The siege on Mariupol needs to be lifted!

The invaders have bombed an urban-type settlement in the Kharkiv Region with cluster munitions, killing six people.

The occupiers destroyed a railway station, shops, pharmacies, and other civilian buildings in the centre of Kozacha Lopan. However, the military infrastructure installations the Russians set up in the settlement and the Russian troops were unharmed, Kozacha Lopan mayor wrote. 

This marks yet another case of cluster munition use by the invaders in Ukraine.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s address on the 22nd day of the war:

Mariupol, Kharkiv, Chernihiv, Kyiv Region, Izyum, and our Hero Cities - they all go through hard times. We are doing everything we can - we all do. The Army, police, emergency response teams, humanitarian convoys, the church... Our entire people. We will not abandon you. We will not forgive them. You will be free, like all of us on our land.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the people of Ukraine to be nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize.

A group of European politicians have addressed the Nobel Peace Prize Committee to extend the nomination period until 31 March (usually, it ends on 31 January) to nominate President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the Ukrainian people for the Nobel Peace Prize.

Ukrainian defenders have killed the commander of the 331st Guards Parachute Airborne Regiment of the occupying army, Colonel Serhiy Sukharev. He was in charge of a battalion and tactical group of this regiment in 2014. It was that group that shelled a column of Ukrainian servicemen as they were leaving Ilovaysk, the former head of the ATO press centre, Roman Turovets, has said. 

Minister for Reintegration of Temporary Occupied Territories Iryna Vereshchuk: Russia still has not asked to return the bodies and remains of its KIA service members, of which there are over 14,000 already.

The General Staff showed the results of work by the Ukrainian air defence forces.

Chancellor of Germany Olaf Scholz has condemned physical and verbal attacks on Russian citizens in connection with the Russian invasion of Ukraine. According to him, only Putin is responsible for the war. Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Ruslan Stefanchuk criticized the statement:

“Do you really think that Putin alone is killing our children, ruining our cities, and destroying our country? That the Russians have nothing to do with it? That they just support his policy? And what about the Russian military? Do they just follow his orders? Don’t fool yourself. During the Nuremberg trials, nobody got an acquittal for “just following orders”.

Dear friends, 

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Our team works on the edge, sparing no efforts. We work directly from the bomb shelters and basements. However, we have now lost all our financial sources which means that without external support the company will not be able to keep the staff. 

That is why we have to ask you for help. Support us so that the team of Liga.net would be capable to continue fighting successfully on the information front. 

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We will win because together we are strong. And together, we are the TRUTH! 

The mayor of Dergachiv (Kharkiv region) Vyacheslav Zadorenko informs the Russian occupiers used cluster bombs to attack the village of urban-type settlement Kozacha Lopan of Derhachi urban hromada. The railway station, shops, houses were under attack. At least six people were killed. At the same time, the holdings and troops of the occupiers standing in the city were not damaged.

Slovakia is ready to immediately hand over S-300 missile systems to Ukraine as soon as it receives a proper replacement for the complexes it will hand over to Ukraine, said Jaroslav Naď the Minister of Defence of the Slovak Republic.

Honoured Artist of Ukraine Oksana Shvets died in Kyiv during a rocket attack on residential buildings. She played at the Molodyy Theatre, Kyiv Satire Theatre and Ternopil Music and Drama Theater.

Biden called Putin “a bloody dictator, a real thug who is waging an immoral war against the people of Ukraine”.

The international payment system Paypal has started operating in Ukraine. "Now you can shop online, transfer funds and withdraw money to Ukrainian bank cards. Be sure to add your Visa and Mastercard cards and use them now," the Minister for Digital Transformation, Mykhailo Fedorov, commented.

Ralph, member of the International Defense Legion of Ukraine from Finland: “When I saw Putin attacking Ukraine, I just could not stand on the side. I sent money to the Ukrainian military, but it just simply did not feel enough. I’ve gone through the Finnish military training, I’m a lieutenant, reservist, I felt that I could help more by coming here to fight in the International Legion. All people here have come to fight Russians and defend democracy and freedom”.

Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Valerii Zaluzhnyi: “We protect the entire civilized world, fighting for freedom and justice, peace and the future, innocent people and our sovereignty. The outcome of the Russo-Ukrainian war will determine whether Europe will be democratic or authoritarian and whether the world will be governed by the rule of law or the rule of force.”

Italian Minister of Culture Dario Franceschini: Italy is ready to rebuild the Drama Theatre in Mariupol, destroyed by the Russian occupiers. The country is ready to provide resources and funds for the restoration of the theatre.

Italy is ready to rebuild the Theatre of #Mariupol. The cabinet of Ministers has approved my proposal to offer #Ukraine the resources and means to rebuild it as soon as possible. Theaters of all countries belong to the whole humanity #worldheritage pic.twitter.com/FPictnEloy

— Dario Franceschini (@dariofrance) March 17, 2022

320,000 citizens have returned to Ukraine since the start of the war, most of them men, State Border Service of Ukraine reports.

"We are coming from Gdansk to defend our homeland, not for the first time. Our guys are not giving up, so we need to help, we need to fight for our country," said one of the men who came back to Ukraine from Poland.

Luhansk regional state administration head Serhiy Haidai: Russian occupiers shelled a mother-and-child orphanage in Severodonetsk. Many women and children were hiding there. People are kept safe.

The AFU General Staff informed about the situation on the front as of 18.00. The Russians have lost offensive potential and continue bombing residential areas, the AFU has stopped them in all directions. The Russians have huge logistical problems and are suffering losses. The occupiers used almost all Kalibr cruise missiles as well as Iskander missiles.

The occupiers are looting, killing and taking civilians hostage, in particular representatives of the authorities. They also deploy their equipment near civilian facilities. They are blockading AFU units in certain areas.

Mariupol is under siege as occupiers continue to destroy the city. Representatives of the Russian police from Krasnodar Territory and occupied Crimea have arrived in Kherson Region. The Federal Security Service is conducting reprisal operations.

The Russians lost 30% of their personnel and equipment in Kharkiv and Izyum. In particular, a Russian colonel was killed. Russian pilots from the 4th Army hand in their resignations: they do not want to serve at war in Ukraine.

State Emergency Service of Ukraine informs the russians troops shelled Svyatoshyn district in Kyiv. Two cars got into fire because of the missiles, the fire broke out on 5 square kilometers of grass. There also appeared a fire in a 10 square kilometers storage. One person died.

Fire broke out in Kharkiv due to Russian shelling at the large Barabashovo market, Suspilne informs. The city was shelled from Grad MLRS.

The Militants of the 30th Mechanized Brigade of Ostrozkyy renovated a memorial to an opera singer and a militant Vasyl Slipak in Luganske village Donetsk region. The occupiers destroyed it March 7.

Head of Kharkiv State Administration Oleg Synegubov informed russians kidnapped the mayor of Velykoburlutska territorial community Victor Tereschenko. They took him away to the regional police station and keep him there.

Mariupol City Council reports that the situation is critical in the city.

Mariupol has been under siege for 16 days already, with over 350,000 residents still hiding in shelters and basements from the continuous shelling of the Russian occupational force.

On average, 50 to 100 bombs are dropped on the city daily.

The destruction is tremendous. According to preliminary estimates, about 80% of the city’s housing facilities has been destroyed, and 30% of them are in an irreparable state.

Although outnumbered, the Armed Forces of Ukraine continue to defend Mariupol, valiantly repelling the enemy attacks. Battles are now raging in the outskirts of the city. However, Ukrainian defenders are selflessly fighting for every street.

Over the past two days, Mariupol residents have started leaving the city in their vehicles in the direction of Berdiansk and Zaporizhzhia. Overall, 6,500 cars fled the besieged city.

Some of them have already made it to Zaporizhzhia, where they were given first aid in the refugee support centres. About 30,000 people in total have left Mariupol by personal transport.

Yesterday, Russian shelling destroyed the Mariupol Drama Theatre and the building of the Neptun pool. Hundreds have been hiding from incessant shelling in those two locations, most of them being women, children, and older people. Yesterday and today, rubble removal continued to rescue people despite ongoing shelling. Information about the victims is being clarified.

President Zelenskyy has expressed gratitude to the emergency response teams for their work.

“They are the first to rescue Ukrainians anywhere where the invaders’ missiles strike. I am proud of you! Thank you for your selfless work. Glory to the State Emergency Service of Ukraine,” the message on the president’s website reads.

A residential house in the village of Novi Petrivtsi, Vyshgorsky district, was destroyed today as a result of shelling. A 2-year-old child was killed and four adults were injured.

20,000 soldiers from the whole world are already in. The International Legion of Ukraine to fight Russia: how to join.

President Zelenskyy visited the wounded at the hospital. Vlasenko family who came under fire from the occupiers during the evacuation from Vorzel. They protected each other with their bodies. Territorial defence fighter. The driver of the journalist-documentarian Brent Renaud who was killed in Irpin. And other courageous residents of the Kyiv region.

During evacuation in Kyiv region, the occupiers were shooting a tank column, two policemen were killed, the Ministry of Internal Affairs informs.

“During the evacuation in Bucha district the occupiers were shooting the evacuation tank columns. One policeman was killed, one more policeman was injured. The same situation was in Irpin, when a service police car was stricken by a “Grad” missile. Only now they let us take away the policeman body,”- Head of Kyiv region police Andriy Niebytov informed.

Today after negotiations between Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba and his Turkish counterpart Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu said Turkey was "ready to consider becoming a guarantor of Ukraine's security in the future".

March 17, about 3:30 am russian occupiers did an artillery strike of Merefa town in Kharkiv region.
As the result of this, a school and a building of culture were destroyed. 21 people died.
25 people were injured, 10 of them are in difficult condition. The works to clear the blockages are in the process.

Prelegal investigation on the fact of breaking the laws and rules of war connected with international homicide is open by Kharkiv regional prosecutor's office.

Oleksiy Arestovych, adviser to the head of the presidential office, has called on partisans in the temporarily occupied by the Russian occupiers regions of northern and southern Ukraine to arrange a "total rail war", i.e. to disrupt the supply of the invading troops.

"Disrupting the enemy's supply by rail (and this type of supply is the most effective) can radically change the situation in our favor, especially in the Crimea-Melitopol direction. The enemy supplies the group storming Mariupol via this direction," he explained.

According to him, in addition to the above, this applies to the directions:

Crimea - Kherson;

Valuiki - Kupyansk;

Gomel - Kyiv (general direction);

others that you find.

"Only it should be strictly (!) taken into account that the communication routes are guarded by the enemy, therefore, soberly (!) assess your forces and abilities first," warned Arestovych.

Ukraine proposes to create its own protection alliance, while NATO is thinking, the Advisor to the Head of the President 's Office Myhailo Podolyak said